Runner for vehicles.



W. G. BOWERS & S. B. GARDNER.

RUNNER FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.9, 1911.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

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WILLIAM GORE BOWERS AND STARRETT B. GARDNER, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RUNNER FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM GORE Bow- ERS and STARRE'IT B. GARDNER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at New Kensington, in the county of VVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Runners for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to runners for vehicles, and the objects of our invention are to provide a simple and durable device for converting a baby carriage or go-cart into a sleigh, and to provide runners thatcan be easily and quickly mounted upon the wheels of a vehicle.

Further objects of the invention are to provide runners that can be easily fitted to various types of wheels without injuring the same, and to provide a runner attachment for a vehicle consisting of comparatively few parts easily assembled.

e attain the above objects by a mechanical construction that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the runner attachment as mounted upon two wheels, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the attachment partly broken away and partly in section, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the clamping rail of the runner attachment, Fig. at is a perspective view of a detached coupling piece. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of coupling member, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of socket.

A. runner in accordance with this invention is made of a tube or pipe 1 having the top thereof provided with a pair of concave grooves 2 in which the rims 1 of wheels 5 are supported. The rear end of the runner is flattened and curved, as at 6 and the forward end thereof is bent upwardly, as at 7.

Mounted in the tube or pipe 1, adjacent to the rear end thereof, is a vertical socket 8 retained within the runner by a transverse rivet 9. The socket 8 has the inner walls thereof screw threaded to receive a bolt 10 having a winged thumb-nut 11 adjustably mounted upon the upper end thereof.

Mounted upon the top of the wheels 5 is a clamping rail 12, preferably made of a tube or pipe, said rail having the under side pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 9, 1911.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911. Serial No. 607,449.

vided with concave grooves at 13 similar to the upper side of the runner 1. The rail 12, adjacent to the rear end thereof, is provided with a vertical opening 141 to receive the upper end of the bolt 10, and the wing thumb-nut 11 is adapted to retain the rear end of the rail upon said bolt. The forward end of the rail 12 is reduced, as at 15 and provided with a transverse opening 16. The reduced end of the rail 12 is adapted to fit in the bifurcation 17 of a coupling member 18, and a rivet 19 is arranged transversely of the member 18 to extend through the opening 16 of the rail and retain said rail in 'en gagement therewith. The coupling member 18 has the opposite end thereof bifurcated, as at 20 to provide two arms 21 and these arms are adapted to be connected together by ascrew 22. The member 18 has a vertical opening 23 to receive the forward end 7 of the runner 1, and said coupling member is clamped to the forward end of the runner by tightening the screw 22.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing there is illustrated a coupling member which is held in position by a set screw 22*, it being unnecessary to bifurcate the outer end of the member.

A modified form of socket is shown in Fig. 6 wherein the runner is provided with a post 30 having the upper end thereof provided with av block 31. In this block is rotatably mounted a screw 32 and the screw extends through the rail and is retained in engagement therewith similar to the preferred form of construction.

To remove the runner attachment from the wheels, it is only necessary to unscrew the nut 11 and then swing the rail upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

As will be seen, the depressions or recesses for the wheels are located to intersect a line passing vertically through the hub of the wheel; in view of the fact that this line corresponds in direction to the axis of the pivot on which the axle or axles turn, it will be readily understood that when the device is in position the wheels are immovably locked against any relative shifting on an axle axis such as might be provided by the fifth wheel of the vehicle; therefore, each runner structure acts as a lock in this respect and there is no necessity for connecting the runners on the opposite sides of the vehicle together.

hat we claim is 1. A runner having the upper side thereof provided with a pair of concave grooves for the reception of the rims of wheels, said runner having the forward end thereof upturned, a coupling member clamped upon the forward end of said runner a clamping rail having its forward end connected to said coupling member and having its under side provided with a pair of concave grooves for the reception of the rims of the wheels, the grooves of the runner and of the clamping rail being positioned to contact with the wheels substantially on a line extending vertically through thehub of the wheel, and means arranged at the rear ends of said runner and tail for retaining the rims of the Wheels in said grooves.

2; A runner attachment for wheeled vehicles comprising two members each being of a length to project in advance and in rear of pairs of wheels, and reinovably connected together approximate such front and rear ends, each of said members having depressions corresponding in number to the nu1nber of wheels being secured by the attachment, each wheel having a depression in each member, said depressions being in opposition to each other on a line approximating a vertical line intersecting the axis of the wheel whereby independent movement of a wheel on a vertical axis will be prevented.

In testimony whereof we aitix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GORE BOVVERS. STARRETT B. GARDNER. Witnesses G120. D. HAnon, J. B. SHEARER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

